Right In Your Own Backyard

So I like history. I have always loved history. I do like to read about historical things but I also enjoy seeing with my own eyes historical sites, places, things. When you are standing there you can almost imagine what it must have been like during those heady days when "those" people who were doing "those" things didn't seem to be anything special but to us, now it is History.

As I went to Bible college I had to take a class on the "Restoration Movement". Coming from Florida and growing up in the Christian Church, I really did not hear much about the "Restoration Movement". So to take this class about the history of our churches intrigued me, until I actually sat in the class. The disseminating of facts and a proclamation to read a book about a man and his father coming to same conclusion on the subject of restoring the New Testament church did not do it any justice. This is a great movement of God. And today has a ton of great churches doing a lot of great things to proclaim Jesus' death, burial and resurrection which brings me to my point.

Within an hour and twenty minutes from where I live now, one can stand on the ground where Restoration History was made.

James O'Kelly 1738-1826 circuit preached in Chatham and Orange counties from 1794 till 1804. For those who might be new to the Restoration Movement Mr. O'Kelly was one of our nation's first to unfetter himself from Denominationalism and actively pursue the church picture we get from the New Testament. All of this was done years before the influence of Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campell's on the American frontier.

Yesterday I had the privilege to stand on the church grounds of the O'Kelly Chapel. A one room church building were James O'Kelly preached his Restoration message. The church was organized by O'Kelly in 1794. The building stands unused and today it is privately owned. Our next stop was Martha's Chapel also in Chatham county it too was organized by O'Kelly in 1804. The chapel is predominantly used for weddings but remains in use today.

The last stop of the day was actually James O'Kelly's last stop. I was able to walk the old plot when this great Restorationist's body lays. Although it is in the middle of a very high end subdivision the public is allowed to visit the grave site. Erected by his Christian friends in the memory of James O'Kelley of N.C. The southern champion of Christian freedom. 1738-1826. James O'Kelly was one of the earliest anti-slavery clergymen to come out. In his landmark writing Essays on Negro Slavery he proved that he was not only an advocate for religious freedom but human freedom as well. James O'Kelly 's theology was very close to N.T. Christianity. He believed in partaking the Lord's supper on the 1st day of the week. He taught that the collection was a free-will offering. He believed in singing, preaching, praying, admonishing the saints. He did fail at baptism. He didn't believe immersion was necessary, that sprinkling would suffice. But in the true nature of the Restoration Movement as it seeks to "restore" one could only hope that the more time O'Kelly might have gotten to mingle with Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell, he too might have accepted immersion.

If you would like to visit these sites, ask and the directions will be provided. If you are the type of person that likes owning a piece of history; you might consider purchasing the house that sits directly in front of the O'Kelly's grave in the brand new sub-division. For a paltry $829,900 you too could have Restoration History right in your own backyard ;)

Lets talk,

R